


Intervention

by Alias (anafabula)



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Attempts toward self-destruction, Canon-compliant through MAG 148, Gen, Isolation, It was never going to be okay, Martin is reasonably lonely, Post-148, Screenplay/Script Format, The looming potential of major character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 12:44:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20228065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anafabula/pseuds/Alias
Summary: BASIRASo… you really think what you don’t know might hurt you?ARCHIVISTI know nothing else will.





	Intervention

**Author's Note:**

> Detailed warnings/spoilers (by character) in the end note. It does effectively summarize the entire fic, though.

[CLICK]

**BASIRA**

So you think it’s going to work?

**ARCHIVIST**

I don’t know. I don’t— _know._

**BASIRA**

Well, what if it doesn’t?

**ARCHIVIST**

I don’t— do you actually want me to find out? 

**BASIRA**

Not if it means you’re going to—

**ARCHIVIST**

Yes, that’s rather my point! (Attempting to compose himself) Part of. Part of my point. But I’m not— there’s a limit to how— not knowing _hurts,_ Basira.

Every second we drag this out will hurt.

**BASIRA**

Would you say _more_ or _less_ than you hurt the people you— use?

**ARCHIVIST**

I highly doubt the experiences are _comparable_. And— and anything that hurts them has a rather different— (Cuts himself off, apparently on noticing how negative he wasn’t sounding.)

[HE BREATHES IN RAGGEDLY]

If we make this about what I, what I do or don’t deserve we’ll be here too long for it to matter.

**BASIRA**

Oh, were you going to bother telling me you put me on a deadline?

**ARCHIVIST**

(Shouting) That’s not what I mean! (Quieter, into a judgmental pause) That’s not what I mean.

But I’m— stopping. Now. And I’m not sure how long I— can.

**BASIRA**

You were about to leave again, weren’t you.

**ARCHIVIST**

Yes.

**BASIRA**

Cutting that a bit close, wouldn’t you think?

**ARCHIVIST**

Yes, well, _excuse_ me if I still consider s— considered this a last resort.

[SILENCE]

[TAPE WHIRRING]

**BASIRA**

So did you have a plan this time, or were you just figuring on sort of browsing—

**ARCHIVIST**

Basira, _please!_ Stop— stop asking me things you don’t want to know, stop trying to— to make it—

If I’m, if I’m… gone… they’ll stop dreaming. All of them. I. I guess it’s tied to the person who… was there. But that would — will — stop.

That’s really all I can offer you.

**BASIRA**

_If_ this works.

**ARCHIVIST**

Yes.

**BASIRA**

Tape’s running.

**ARCHIVIST**

Apparently.

**BASIRA**

That hardly seems like a good sign.

**ARCHIVIST**

It gets use out of me one way or another. I don’t think that’s particularly indicative. If I’m not going to keep _being_ useful, I know I’d still want to—

Well. Anyway.

I… assume I shouldn’t be… looking at you.

**BASIRA**

Yeah.

**ARCHIVIST**

Tell me what you need me to do.

**BASIRA**

If you sort of—

[FOOTSTEPS, MOVEMENT] 

Yeah, there.

[RUSTLING SOUNDS]

So… I got this from Artefact Storage a couple weeks back.

**ARCHIVIST**

(Almost offended) _Before_ you—

**BASIRA**

Jon.

**ARCHIVIST**

Sorry. I— sorry.

I suppose it was a… reasonable precaution.

Don’t show me.

**BASIRA**

(With audible scepticism) Scared?

**ARCHIVIST**

No.

**BASIRA**

Oh.

So… you really think what you don’t know might hurt you?

**ARCHIVIST**

I know nothing else will.

**BASIRA**

Right. Fair enough, I guess.

(Sudden) But, I mean, there’s _got_ to be a point where— this has to—

**ARCHIVIST**

(Sharply) Basira!

**BASIRA**

Look— and _not_ like that— I don’t exactly have prior experience with—

**ARCHIVIST**

Yes, I suppose the cold-blooded murder was Daisy and you handled the general recklessness, was the division of labour you’re used to?

**BASIRA**

That’s a deeply— Shut up. Shut _up_.

Wait. Are you, are you trying to make this easier on me?

**ARCHIVIST**

Is it working?

**BASIRA**

Not really, no!

**ARCHIVIST**

(Slight disappointment, surprise) Oh. Well. Wh—

[THE ARCHIVIST BREATHES IN THROUGH HIS TEETH INSTEAD OF ASKING ‘WHY NOT’]

**BASIRA**

You don’t get to annoy me into killing you by being practically the same prick you have been this entire time!

**ARCHIVIST**

I—

**BASIRA**

That just makes it _worse_. Makes me keep thinking, keep _having_ to think of you as a person.

**ARCHIVIST**

Yes, well, I don’t get to separate the two, either. That’s the problem. That’s our entire—

Just do it if you’re going to. Whatever you’re going to.

Please.

**BASIRA**

Hold still.

**ARCHIVIST**

Fine. Fine.

[LOUD CRASHING, SLIGHTLY MUFFLED]

[MURMURING STATIC]

**BASIRA**

What the— what was that?

**ARCHIVIST**

(Quietly) Fuck.

[FOOTSTEPS, SUDDEN, TOO CLOSE TO HAVE JUST STARTED THERE]

**BASIRA**

Don’t move. Don’t…

[SETS SOMETHING DOWN]

(Pitching voice outside) Who’s there?

[INDISTINCT ANSWER]

**BASIRA**

(Crossing the room) Who—

[SHE OPENS THE DOOR]

What are you doing— what?

**MARTIN**

Er, hi. Basira. Yeah.

**BASIRA**

(Carefully) Wow. Okay. We… haven’t exactly been… seeing you. (Less careful) Not since you told _Daisy_ to—

**MARTIN**

Yeah. I— I know. It’s— I’m here now, okay?

**BASIRA**

I heard— are you… all right?

**MARTIN**

(Evasively) I’m fine, I dropped… a, er… but I’m fine. Thank you.

**BASIRA**

What are you doing here?

**MARTIN**

Well… Look, are you… Sorry, I’m a bit out of practice at…

**BASIRA**

(Unimpressed) Being human?

**MARTIN**

Not much of that left to go around, these days, is there?

[THE PAUSE IS TOO LONG]

Right. I mean— what I mean is— are you busy right now?

**BASIRA**

Look. We’ve— I’m not going to say people haven’t been worried about you, but I’m… kind of in the middle of something. Right now. If you, I don’t know, give me a few minutes—

**MARTIN**

(Abruptly quiet once rejected) No, I… I thought so. It just seemed worth it to…

**BASIRA**

No— seriously, you don’t have to leave, all right? Just wait.

**MARTIN**

I can’t.

**BASIRA**

I’ll be right back, I swear.

What’s— what’s wrong with you?

[SLIGHT BUZZING STATIC]

**MARTIN**

(Pulling away) Just…

**ARCHIVIST**

(To himself, under the buzzing) I can’t do this.

(Louder, turning) Basira, I’m— I’m sorry, I, I can’t, I have to—

Who’s th—

[BEGINNING TO BE DROWNED OUT BY STATIC]

Basira?

**MARTIN**

Yeah, I, I think I’ve waited more than long enough, actually.

[TAPE SQUEALS]

**BASIRA**

What the hell is this?

**MARTIN**

More difficult than I’d expected, to be honest!

(Pauses, though the static’s barely quieter than he is) Right. Not… not funny, I guess. Sorry.

**BASIRA**

What did you _do_.

**MARTIN**

Enough. I mean, hopefully.

**BASIRA**

Is Jon—

**MARTIN**

No.

[HIGH LABORED SOUNDS OF THE TAPE AS IT ROLLS ON]

Er. Bye.

**BASIRA**

Martin, no, don’t you d—

[SCREAM OF WHITE NOISE CUTS HER OFF]

[STATIC ALMOST SUBSIDES]

[MARTIN BREATHING]

**MARTIN**

I don’t suppose he— Jon?

[FOOTSTEPS, BRIEFLY]

Jon? Please?

[SILENCE, BUT FOR STATIC]

Okay. That’s… that’s fine. That’s fine. I’ll just…

[FOOTSTEPS RAPIDLY APPROACH THE RECORDER]

I’ve got more to pick up, that’s… okay. That’s okay. He… got out safe, he’s… (Laughs weakly) Probably tried to find me? And he’ll hear this. So I… I have time. I still have time.

God, it can’t be _that_ hard to let myself be seen, right? He could earlier, he’s got to… we’re literally here, there’s no way he can’t…

[STOPS SHORT]

Oh, Jon, for God’s _sake_. (To himself) Figures he’s not… eating. If that was why she… so he was too… weak anyway… but he left, so…

(To the recorder) I’m sure you’ll have found someone by the time you hear this, Jon. So listen.

You can’t keep doing this. You don’t get to play both sides. You don’t get to _die_. You— (Voice cracking briefly) You wanted to live, you came _back_, you don’t get to— you can’t take that back now.

You have to understand. I know you do. So stop… Stop. Take care of yourself. _Please._ I—

I don’t care what that means now and you don’t get to start. We _can’t_. I—

I still—

I’ll see you when— when I see you.

I promise.

[CLICK]

**Author's Note:**

> Full-spoiler summary:
> 
> Jon attempts suicide by ex-cop.   
Basira tries to oblige (the method isn’t specified).  
Martin intervenes; whether Basira will come back/survive isn’t known either way.


End file.
